Sunday Thoughts (you gotta laugh)

You may look back at the past year and think there’s nothing funny about it.

I mean, what a mess. 

If you feel like sometimes you just want to slump down in your chair or curl up in a ball, you’re certainly not alone.

The amount of stress we’re under is overwhelming at times. 

But you’ve likely heard the old saying, “Laughter is the best medicine.” Turns out, it’s really true.

As a pressure valve, a reset to your day, and as a way to actually protect your health, it actually works.

Heavy stress takes a toll on your health. Your heart. Your sleep. And your mind. 

But laughter releases nitric oxide, a chemical that relaxes your blood vessels, reduces blood pressure and decreases clotting. 

Quite literally, a funny moment or movie can help prevent a stroke. 

I’ve been married to Karen for a long time. (When people ask how long, I always say “not long enough.” And we all enjoy a good laugh… and an eye roll from Karen.) 

And she’s heard most of my go-to jokes. But each day I can honestly say, without question, we share some laughs. Even on our worst days, there’s a way to find the humor in almost any situation. 

It’s worth looking for it. A healthy sense of humor is directly related to living a longer life.

Some doctors are even prescribing laughter to their patients. Funny videos. Joke books. Whatever tickles you is good for you. Really!

Humor keeps negative emotions in check. And it changes your perspective. Threats become challenges, something you can overcome, not something that overwhelms.

Charlie Chaplin once said that “In order to truly laugh, you need to be able to take your pain and play with it.” 

This pandemic is hardly funny. But just thinking about staff meetings wearing PJ bottoms, or the folks on the team whose dogs always chime in during discussions… there have been some chuckles. Pretty regularly, actually. 

It helps me make it through the day. And it’s keeping the whole team sane. 

If you can’t change what you’re dealing with, maybe you can change how you look at it. 

And humor gives you the power to do just that. 

So your homework assignment is to find something to laugh at today. Share a laugh with a loved one. And think about how you feel afterwards. 

It’s true – you’ll see – it’s the best medicine of them all.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.